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Colorado - Wed. 01/21/26 |
A Free Business Publication from Alpine Bank
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COLORADO BUSINESS FILINGS ROSE BY 4.5% IN A YEAR
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Colorado saw a year‑over‑year increase in new business filings at the end of 2025, even as other indicators showed mixed results, according to a new report from the University of Colorado Boulder and the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office. Nearly 43,000 new business registrations were recorded statewide in the fourth quarter, down from the previous quarter due to seasonal trends but up 4.5 percent compared with the same period in 2024. Economists noted stronger momentum when looking at longer‑term data, with the 12‑quarter rolling total of new entity filings up 9.7 percent year over year. At the same time, business renewals declined 3.4 percent from a year earlier, while delinquencies — businesses behind on required filings — rose 9.2 percent.
One bright spot was a sharp drop in voluntary business closures, with dissolutions falling more than 31 percent. The number of entities in good standing climbed to more than 1 million, the highest level recorded, as Colorado’s economy continues to show resilience despite a stagnating job market and broader uncertainty at the federal level.
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TARIFFS KEEP COLORADO’S SMALL BUSINESSES GUESSING AS EXPORTS RISE & IMPORTS FALL
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Colorado’s small businesses are grappling with uncertainty as shifting federal tariff policies reshape trade patterns and supply costs. While the value of Colorado exports rose 4.8 percent to $9.3 billion during the first 10 months of 2025, imports fell 2.3 percent to $13.9 billion, reflecting the impact of aggressive trade measures under the Trump administration. Imports from China dropped nearly 25 percent, with exports to the country also declining, while trade with Mexico and Canada similarly softened. Small business owners say the unpredictability of sudden tariff changes — rather than the direct financial hit — has made planning difficult, forcing some to pass temporary fees on to customers or delay purchasing decisions altogether.
Business owners also report challenges sourcing materials domestically at competitive prices, adding pressure to already tight margins. Economists note that while tariffs have helped shrink the national trade deficit, the lack of policy stability has created added strain for small companies trying to manage costs, suppliers and long‑term growth.
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COLORADO NAMES LAUREN GRIMSHAW SLOAN AS NEW FILM COMMISSIONER
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Colorado has named Lauren Grimshaw Sloan as its new film commissioner, tasking her with leading the state’s film, television and media efforts as the Sundance Film Festival prepares to relocate to Boulder. Gov. Jared Polis and the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade announced the appointment Tuesday, with Sloan set to begin Jan. 22. She replaces longtime commissioner Donald Zuckerman, who left the role abruptly last fall after more than 14 years with the state. Sloan previously served as Colorado’s deputy film commissioner from 2012 to 2016 and most recently held senior leadership roles at Denver‑based SeriesFest.
State officials said Sloan will focus on community engagement, workforce development, rural investment and implementation of a new film festival tax credit approved last year. Much of her work will center on preparing Colorado for the first Sundance Film Festival in the state in 2027, following a successful bid that included more than $70 million in incentives from state and local partners.
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BRONCOS SAY GEOFENCING AFC TITLE GAME TICKETS IS BUSINESS AS USUAL
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The Broncos said restricting ticket sales for Sunday’s AFC Championship Game against New England to buyers in the Rocky Mountain region is a long‑standing practice driven by limited availability, not a new attempt to block opposing fans. Team officials confirmed that the small number of single‑game tickets released for the matchup were available only to fans with billing addresses in states including Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Montana, South Dakota and western Kansas. Broncos chief communications officer Patrick Smyth said more than 98 percent of season ticket holders opted in for playoff tickets, leaving only a few thousand seats, which sold nearly out within 24 hours.
The team has used geographic restrictions for postseason home games since 2011, and the policy applies only to tickets sold directly by the Broncos. Fans from anywhere can still purchase seats on the secondary market, where prices remained high Tuesday, with non‑resale tickets starting above $1,200 and resale options beginning around $500.
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NEW BUILDINGS DEBUT AS NATIONAL WESTERN STOCK SHOW ATTRACTIONS
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Two major new buildings are debuting as attractions at the 120th National Western Stock Show, transforming the area once dominated by the Denver Coliseum and former stockyards. Opened at the end of 2025, the Western Stock Show Association Legacy Building and the Sue Anschutz‑Rodgers Livestock Center are part of the broader National Western Center redevelopment, which will ultimately add 2.2 million square feet of indoor and outdoor space. The Legacy Building, funded entirely by private donations, includes eight saloons, conference and meeting spaces, administrative offices and an art gallery showcasing the National Western Art Collection year‑round.
Adjacent to it, the $259 million Sue Anschutz‑Rodgers Livestock Center was funded primarily through Ballot Measure 2C and features a 5,000‑seat arena and a 200,000‑square‑foot livestock hall capable of housing more than 1,400 cattle. Designed for year‑round use, the facility will host livestock events during the Stock Show and community events, graduations, concerts and trade shows during the offseason. Additional development continues nearby, including a large Equestrian Center now under construction.
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MICHELIN HONORS DENVER’S PAMBAZO DE CARNITAS AT LA DIABLA POZOLE Y MEZCAL
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A pambazo served at La Diabla Pozole y Mezcal in Denver has been named one of the six best sandwiches in North America by Michelin’s food and travel guides, drawing national attention to a traditional Mexican street food with humble roots. Chef Jose Avila’s Pambazo de Carnitas — a roll marinated in red guajillo chile sauce, fried and filled with tender pork — earned praise from Michelin inspectors for its flavor, technique and quality ingredients.
Avila, who has served pambazos for six years, first from a food truck and later at his Larimer Street restaurant, said the recognition has helped introduce diners to the Mexico City–born sandwich, traditionally associated with street vendors and Independence Day celebrations. At La Diabla, the bread is fried in pork fat, griddled with meat and onions, then finished with salsas and avocado. Since the Michelin mention, weekly pambazo sales have doubled, Avila said, crediting his mother for inspiring him to add the dish to his menu.
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SNOWMASS CLOSES BIG BURN LIFT DURING WEEKDAYS DUE TO “REDUNDANCY”
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Aspen Snowmass has closed the Big Burn lift at Snowmass during weekdays, citing reduced midweek traffic and overlapping access with the nearby Sheer Bliss lift. Resort officials said the decision was influenced by the closure of the Ullrhof restaurant for construction this season, which has historically lowered weekday use of the Big Burn area. Hannah Dixon, Aspen One’s communications director, said Sheer Bliss effectively serves the same terrain, allowing skiers and riders to reach all Big Burn runs via the Trestle catwalk. Big Burn will continue operating on weekends, and the resort said it regularly evaluates lift usage and may reassess if conditions change. The move comes amid historically low snowfall in the Roaring Fork Valley, where snow water equivalent levels remain well below median, and during a winter in which Snowmass lodging bookings were already projected to decline.
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NEW $66 MILLION PLATEAU VALLEY SCHOOL OPENS IN COLLBRAN AFTER YEARS OF PLANNING
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Students in the Plateau Valley School District returned from winter break Jan. 12 to a new $66 million school building in Collbran that replaces a campus originally built in the 1950s. The state‑of‑the‑art facility houses all pre‑K through 12th‑grade classrooms under one roof and serves the district’s roughly 278 students. The project was funded through a combination of a $26 million grant from Colorado’s Building Excellent Schools Today program and a $40 million bond approved by voters in November 2023.
In addition to modern classrooms, the new campus includes upgraded athletic facilities, secure entrances and dedicated spaces for agriculture, art, home economics, STEM and music programs that previously shared limited rooms. District leaders said extensive community input shaped the design, which aims to provide educational equity with larger districts while supporting career‑ready programs and certifications. The former school building is slated for demolition and conversion into a parking lot, while community members recently toured the new campus during a public open house.
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DURANGO WINE EXPERIENCE OPENS NONPROFIT PARTNER GRANT APPLICATIONS
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The Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado has opened applications for its nonprofit partner grant connected to the 2026 Durango Wine Experience, the organization’s largest annual fundraiser. The two‑day event is scheduled for April 24 and 25 and will again spotlight 10 local nonprofits, each receiving a $2,500 grant. Now in its fourth year, the program is designed to strengthen connections between community members and area nonprofits while supporting the Foundation’s broader mission.
Selected organizations will participate in the Walkabout event from 4 to 6:30 p.m. April 24 in downtown Durango, where they can share their missions with attendees. On April 25, nonprofits will assist with the Grand Tasting from 3 to 6 p.m. in Buckley Park, an event that typically draws more than 850 guests. Nonprofits interested in learning more and applying for the grant opportunity should visit swcommunityfoundation.org/dwe-nonprofit-partners. Weekend passes are available now at durangowine.com/tickets.
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HENRY, BELOVED VAIL SKI PATROL AVALANCHE DOG, HONORED THROUGH AVY DOG APPAREL LINE
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The legacy of Henry, Vail Mountain’s first avalanche rescue dog and a longtime member of Vail Ski Patrol, is being celebrated through an expanded Avy Dog brand that now includes apparel and merchandise inspired by his service. Henry, who joined patrol in 2008 and became an unofficial ambassador for ski safety and avalanche awareness, died in 2022 at age 15. His handlers, Chris “Mongo” Reeder and Mike “Kanger” Kang, first honored him with Avy Dog Bourbon in collaboration with 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirits, then expanded the brand to include T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, dog gear and accessories.
The Henry’s Legacy Collection features designs based on real photographs from Henry’s patrol work, including helicopter rescues and chairlift rides to duty. Proceeds from Avy Dog bourbon and merchandise support avalanche rescue dog programs locally and nationally. More information about avalanche rescue dogs is available at vailavalancherescuedogs.org, and the full Avy Dog merchandise collection can be found at avydoghenry.com.
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APPLICATIONS OPEN FEB. 1 FOR ELECTRIC BILL OFFSETS FROM YVEA SOLAR GARDEN
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Lower‑income electricity customers served by Yampa Valley Electric Association can apply starting Feb. 1 for bill credits generated by the Rays Up Community Solar Garden, located on YVEA’s campus in Steamboat Springs. The program provides qualifying members with electric bill offsets for two years and is open to households earning 80 percent or less of their county’s area median income who pay their own YVEA electric bills. Applications are available at the YVEA office in Steamboat and through the Community Budget Center in Craig. The application period will remain open until all available spots are filled. The solar garden was originally developed in 2016 through a partnership between the Colorado Energy Office, GRID Alternatives and YVEA, and is now fully owned and operated by the electric cooperative. Potential applicants can find more information online at YVEA.com/rays-up-community-solar or call YVEA staff at 970-879-1160.
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IRS WARNS TAXPAYERS ABOUT IDENTITY THEFT SCAMS
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The IRS and the Security Summit are warning taxpayers that, as tax filing season begins, identity thieves are poised to scam people into sharing personal information to file false tax returns and steal refunds. Specific threats include phishing emails and smishing texts, where the thief impersonates a legitimate organization in the tax community, such as the IRS, a state agency or a tax software company, to try to convince the target to provide personal information, click on harmful links or send money. Having an Identity Protection (IP) PIN can protect taxpayers from tax-related identity theft. Anyone with an SSN or an ITIN can get an IP PIN. For more information: https://bit.ly/45DQVoa
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COLORADO’S LARGEST RESORT MEETING & CONVENTION FACILITIES IN 2025
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Colorado’s resort destinations continue to expand and modernize their meeting and convention offerings, with several properties now providing extensive indoor space capable of hosting large conferences, trade shows and multi‑day events. According to Denver Business Journal research, these are the state’s largest resort‑based facilities, ranked by total square feet of indoor meeting and event space, reflecting overall capacity rather than single‑room size. The list highlights a mix of historic resorts and purpose‑built conference centers across mountain and Front Range communities.
Top ten venues by total indoor meeting space:
- The Broadmoor (Colorado Springs): 315,000 square feet
- Keystone Resort and Conference Center (Keystone): 65,000 square feet
- Estes Park Events Complex (Estes Park): 64,938 square feet
- Cheyenne Mountain Colorado Springs, a Destination by Hyatt: 40,000 square feet
- Grand Hyatt Vail (Vail): 38,579 square feet
- Copper Mountain Resort (Copper Mountain): 33,774 square feet
- Beaver Run Resort and Conference Center (Breckenridge): 29,898 square feet
- Aspen Meadows Resort (Aspen): 22,000 square feet
- Viewline Resort Snowmass, Autograph Collection (Snowmass Village): 20,000 square feet
- Village at Breckenridge (Breckenridge): 18,600 square feet
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MARKET UPDATE - 01/20/2026 Close
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(Courtesy of Alpine Bank Wealth Management*)
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Canadian dollar (per U.S. dollar)
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Mexican peso (per U.S. dollar)
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30-year fixed mortgage rate (Freddie Mac 01/15/2026)
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*Not FDIC insured. May lose value. Not guaranteed by the bank.
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Alpine Bank is an independent, employee-owned organization with headquarters in Glenwood Springs and banking offices across Colorado's Western Slope, mountains and Front Range. Alpine Bank serves customers with retail, business, wealth management*, mortgage and electronic banking services. Learn more at alpinebank.com.
*Alpine Bank Wealth Management services are not FDIC insured, may lose value and are not guaranteed by the bank.
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